Nixon resigned because of “Watergate”—a scandal that began with a bungled burglary and ended with criminal charges against his closest aides and demands for his impeachment.
Federal Courts in History: United States v. Nixon
Dealing with the principle of separation of powers, this lesson focuses on the question of whether or not the Constitution’s separation of powers intended to create an absolute executive privilege.
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
This case summary provides teachers with everything they need to teach about United States v. Nixon (1974). It contains background information in the form of summaries and important vocabulary at three different reading levels, as well a review of relevant legal concepts, diagram of how the case moved through the court system, and summary of the decision. This resource also includes eight classroom-ready activities that teach about the case using interactive methods.
To Understand a Scandal: Watergate beyond Nixon
Even today, four decades after the events, Watergate still symbolizes all that is, and might be, wrong with the workings of the federal government, elected officials and, ultimately, with the political system itself.
Cold War Document Based Question
Utilizing primary source documents from the archives of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, and Reagan, this piece of curriculum is modeled after the Advanced Placement Document Based Questions. This question invites students to explore U.S. Cold War foreign policy through the lens the office of the presidency, and to develop crucial critical thinking and writing skills.
Constitutional Conversations
Constitutional Conversations is a series of discussions by America’s leading scholars. Topics include: James Madison and American Constitutionalism; Women and Early American Constitutionalism; Religion and American Constitutionalism. Another video series, called Presidents and the Constitution, features journalist Hugh Sidey interviewing Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.
Comparing Impeachments Across History
Use this lesson alongside The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson Decision Point to introduce students to the concept of impeachment and how it has been used throughout U.S. history.
The Twenty-fifth Amendment
This eLesson will provide students with an opportunity to learn about the text of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment as well as its historical usage and potential need. It will ask them to consider why such an Amendment was deemed necessary and how it has been, and could be, used. It will also give students the opportunity to debate possible applications of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment
The American Presidency: Core Documents
This collection of documents on the presidency begins with Alexander Hamilton’s commentary on the sections of the Constitution related to the executive branch and ends with President Barack Obama’s address to the nation defending his interpretation of executive authority under the Constitution to use force against the Syrian regime. The documents cover the executive’s role and the specific topics of presidential selection, term limits, and impeachment.
New York Times Co. v. U.S. (1971)
Did the government’s efforts to prevent two newspapers from publishing classified information given to them by a government whistle-blower violate the First Amendment protection of freedom of the press? The Washington Post published classified information despite a court injunction. That information changed American perception of the Vietnam War effort.